Dead as a door knob - suggestions welcomed...

[ZCurves]

So, I took my Z for a spin today, zipped around for a bit and topped off the tank will 5 gals of fresh fuel. When I was done at the gas station I hit the frontage road (feeder road here in Texas) and just as I was going to enter the freeway - NOTHING, no bang, no pop AND no ignition. The engine just quit.:mad: So I coasted to a street that enters my neighborhood and found a shady spot to figure things out or wait for a wrecker.

The engine would crank strongly, but no ignition. So following the same advice I had given to others here on the forum, I checked the fuses, fusible links, cable to EFI -all good. The fuel pump is working well, because hear it and after much cranking I could smell fuel at the tail pipe. After about 30 mins, I cranked her up and she started as if nothing was wrong. I drove her the 3/4 mile to the house and scolded her with a sponge bath.

So, as I ponder the EFI Bible to debug what I think is an ignition problem, I am open to your suggestions. I am hoping that some of you have already encountered this problem and can lend a hand. Below is a picture of the misbehaving wench after her bath.

btw: '78 S30 Coupe - Stock.

[EScanlon]

Do you have a spare E12-80 module? I had that problem once, and it was when the module decided it was overheating. Replaced it and problem solved.

How warm was the engine?

Not a real good guess, but as a WAG, it should be a start.

E

[Zed Head]

78 still has the ignition module in the cabin. E12-80s came in 79. But, of course, the symptoms still fit a bad module. A GM HEI module could be wired in if it keeps happening.

Edit - another "of course", as soon as I point out that 78 doesn't have an E12-80, someone else shows that it might have a transplanted one. Funny... http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/thread47563.html

I had a similar thing happen on my 76 though when I was testing out a spare ECU. Plugged it in, took off for a test, and about a mile away it coughed once, then died completely. It restarted, let me turn around and get about half-way back then died again. One more restart got me within jogging distance of the good ECU in the garage. The engine smelled of gas while I was trying to restart it the last time.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Zed Head

[ZCurves]

Thank you gentlemen! I will get my hands on a new ignition module. I am still inviting comments - that's the power of this forum!!

[ZCurves]

How warm was the engine? Not a real good guess, but as a WAG, it should be a start. E

Not Hot, but pretty warm. 77 F degs outside today.

[Rainman]

Same thing happened to my '74 260Z (early) a few years back.. Ignition module was fine, the transistor module in the distributor was the culprit.. Exact same symptom though, no spark at all.. Once it cooled off it would start fine and run for 10-15 minutes then die again.

Keep us posted on what you find..

[5thhorsemann]

Just a sidebar for expiditing the diagnosis of overheating/ intermittant electronic module failures. Keep a can or two of "Canned Air" with you when on the test drive, when the car dies try a restart ONCE, if the car fails to stare hose the suspect component down with the can inverted so that the liquid refridgerant in the can is hosing down the heat sink section of the module. This should cool the module down enough to get it working again. FWIW

[SteveJ]

If you're still using the 280Z ignition module, you could change to a GM HEI ignition module.

[ZCurves]

Excellent suggestion from the 5thhorseman. thanks.

[siteunseen]

Nice car, even parked.

[ZCurves]

Nice car, even parked.

Thank you for noticing!

[Captain Obvious]

I'll agree with the consensus above that it's ignition related. Especially if the fuel pump is running and you can smell gas out the tailpipe. If it happens again, you can easily confirm by pulling the coil wire or a spark plug wire and looking for spark while you crank it.

Thankfully I have not yet had the pleasure to gain any detailed experience with the ignition modules. Mine (to date) have just worked. But if you can confirm that it's ignition, you might try to grab the wiring harness leading to the module and wiggle it around. If there's a hairline crack heat related intermittent connection in there, the mechanical agitation might be enough to temporarily reestablish connection.

After about 30 mins, I cranked her up and she started as if nothing was wrong. I drove her the 3/4 mile to the house and scolded her with a sponge bath.

Haha!!